Colorado is the gateway to the West with towering 14,000 ft mountains dotting the Rocky Mountain range with beautiful meadows, valleys, and stunning mountain scenery. The Sunshine State is where I call home! I’m in love with our big open skies, sunny weather, wildflower-covered meadows in the summer, and beautiful fall colors in the aspen trees in fall. As an en plein air artist and photographer, the mountains here are truly paradise! And most importantly, the perfect place for you to get married!
Marriage License Info for Colorado
One of the best things about getting married in Colorado is that it’s SIMPLE. Colorado is one of the few states where you can self-solemnize. So you won’t need an officiant or any witnesses to sign your marriage license. Although not required, two people can sign your marriage license if it’s meaningful to you. It’s easy peasy! Plus if you have a doggy, they can sign the marriage license too (which is the most Colorado thing ever).
- No officiant or witnesses are required for a marriage license.
- There is no waiting period to pick up your marriage license. It’s valid to sign within 35 days and must be returned within 63 days.
- It costs between $30 with a small fee for certified copies. You can pay with cash or credit card in most counties.
- I always advise calling the County Clerk’s Office in the county where you’re getting married just to double-check their process.
More information can be found on the Denver Clerk And Recorder Website.
Best Time of Year to Get Married In Colorado
Usually, the best time of year to get married in Colorado is late June through early October. Although Colorado is beautiful year-round with lots of sunshine even in the winter months! My favorite time of year is late June through mid-July (when everything is green and lush) or early September through early October (chasing the cooler mountain weather and the changing colors of the aspen trees).
You can roughly expect warm summer days in the mountains (70-85 degrees) and cool weather (40-50 degrees) around sunrise or sunset. The Front Range is always much warmer since it’s at a lower elevation. So be sure to look at the weather in the mountain town near where you’re getting married.
Top Tips for Colorado Locations
#1 Choose a location farther away from Denver
The farther you are from Denver, the more privacy and fewer tourists you’ll have. It’s a night and day difference where I live in the San Juans (Southwest Colorado) compared to other places like Boulder, Breckenridge, or Aspen. You can also fly directly into Durango and skip the traffic on I-70 out of Denver. The San Juans have more trees and it’s easily the greenest part of Colorado.
#2 Each mountain town offers something unique
Each mountain town has a unique charm and even offers different views! Telluride is situated in a box canyon with trails and creeks leading right through downtown, Ouray has lots of waterfalls and is in a “rockier” canyon (compared to lush green mountains), Silverton feels like the last true “Wild West” mountain town with stunning views of Kendall Mountain, while Crested Butte is in a beautiful and wide open valley that feels a lot like the rolling mountains of Wyoming/Montana.
#3 Weddings on weekends, elopements on weekdays
The weekends are wildly busy here in Colorado with the locals hitting the trails. I only book elopements on weekdays to make sure my couples have more privacy. For weddings with venues, Saturdays are still the best option (although most venues offer discounts for weekdays too).
Getting Married at High Elevation
My favorite mountain towns are at an elevation of 8,000 ft or 9,000 ft. This means it takes some time to adjust to the altitude up here! I recommend acclimating to the elevation by spending a night or two in Durango/Denver before driving into the mountains. And if you can spend a few nights at a higher elevation before your elopement or wedding–even better! It’s important to have high-quality sunscreen with high SPF because you are closer to the sun at high elevations. So I recommend Supergoop’s sunscreen trial set to figure out which one works best for you. I always wear sun protection when I’m out exploring in Colorado.
Why get married in Colorado?
I’ve worked all over the mountain West from Maui to Yosemite to the North Cascades of Washington. Yet Colorado is where I call home and for good reason! Colorado is truly built around the mountain lifestyle here and it makes it so much easier to explore compared to other states. The mountain towns here (which are so beautiful) make it really easy to hike and be adventurous while also having everything you’d need to relax with friends and family. It’s also really wedding-friendly here making any planning logistics much easier for you. It’s the perfect balance between luxury and adventure!
Best Places to Get Married in Colorado
There are so many unique places to get married in Colorado! Each mountain town offers something unique for your elopement day and the other days on your trip.
Telluride
Best Time of Year to Elope: late June – early October
Popularity/Crowds: Somewhat Busy
Southern Colorado is arguably the most beautiful area to explore in Colorado (not to mention the greenest). Cough cough. That’s why I live here! The San Juan mountains of Southwest Colorado never disappoint! Most tourists visit Rocky Mountain National Park or mountain towns closer to Denver, so come explore this hidden paradise! Telluride is the luxury mountain town in the San Juans. It’s the cutest mountain town in Colorado (in my opinion) situated in a box canyon. There are stunning 360 degree mountain views from town including waterfalls and a free gondola ride. You can visit shops in town and walk right onto a hiking trail. It really is a mountain paradise with a more elevated and romantic feel for elopements and weddings.
Ouray & Silverton
Best Time of Year to Elope: late June – early October
Popularity/Crowds: Least Crowded Part of Colorado
Ouray and Silverton are along the Million Dollar Highway. Which is arguably the most scenic drive in Colorado (if not the Western US) with most of the top rated hikes in Colorado. I live along this highway and love having prime access to these trails to explore personally and for elopements. If you’re looking for somewhere off the beaten path and want to elope with a local who knows the hidden gems–I’d love to help you elope here! It’s an amazing and quiet places with filled with tons of alpine lakes, waterfalls, and stunning mountains at every turn.
Crested Butte
Best Time of Year: late June – early October
Popularity/Crowds: Definitely popular but less busy than places like Breckenridge or Aspen
Crested Butte is the wildflower capital of Colorado and one of my favorite mountain towns. You can chase blooming wildflowers in July or fall colors in September! As an en plein air artist, you might even see me painting somewhere around Crested Butte while you’re in town. Crested Butte has more of a “wide open” feel to it, and I honestly feel like I’m in Switzerland driving through town. It’s a stunning place for a wedding or elopement and usually tops my list of recommendations! It’s a good balance of being a little farther/quieter than Breckenridge without a longer drive to Southwest Colorado. I have some great easy-access places to go in Crested Butte for photos too. So I’d love to show you some of my favorite places here!
Breckenridge
Best Time of Year to Elope: late June – October
Popularity/Crowds: More Crowded
Breckenridge is incredibly popular for good reason. It’s one of the closest mountain towns to Denver and has beautiful mountain views in every direction. You can be super adventurous in Breckenridge (like hiking Quandary Peak during your trip) or keep everything relaxed and family-friendly. That being said, it is the busiest location on the list because it’s easily accessible from Denver. If you need somewhere close to Denver and want to book a venue (or don’t mind less privacy), Breckenridge would be a great fit!
Aspen
Best Time of Year to Elope: late June – early October
Popularity/Crowds: More Crowded
While Aspen is known as a bougie ski resort town, there is so much to do in the Roaring Fork Valley no matter what you are looking for. It’s an amazing destination for weddings! There are great venues to celebrate with friends and family, and lots of beautiful places to explore in the White River National Forest. Maroon Bells is one of the first places I visited in Colorado, and I love visiting Aspen year round! To get married at Maroon Bells, you’ll need to reserve a ceremony site for the amphitheater. Maroon Bells does book up quickly! This location is best for those who don’t mind a busier location with other hikers and can plan far enough in advance to secure their permit.
Rocky Mountain National Park, Boulder, & More
Rocky Mountain National Park and Boulder are absolutely stunning, but they do have more permits and rules for elopements and weddings. So most of my couples choose to get married in the mountain towns I list above. However, Rocky Mountain and Boulder are both very convenient elopement destinations for locals to Denver or for those flying in and don’t want to drive far. It’s definitely the easiest drive if you’re planning a shorter trip for your elopement or wedding in Colorado. So if you’re dreaming of getting married in Rocky Mountain National Park, I’d love to be a part of your day. I have tons of experience working in National Parks and can help walk you through the special-use permit process. It’ll be incredibly easy and stress-free. Yay!
You can view Rocky Mountain National Park’s wedding permit information here. And you can view Boulder’s ceremony locations and permit info here.
Hidden Gems & New Locations
While this guide goes over some of the best places to get married in Colorado, every year I’m always scouting out new amazing trails and destinations for my couples. I have a questionnaire and custom location guide in the planning process where I’ll share locations that I think will be a great fit for your day. So if you’re looking for a hidden gem or to get off the beaten path, I’d love to help you plan your elopement adventure. Whether you want an easy-going ceremony with family or an adventurous hike to an alpine lake–Colorado really has it all. You can reach out using my contact form to get started.
